So I have only had a few days with good enough winds to fly but yesterday I noticed it seemed like the kite wasn't turning. The wind was about 10-15 mph, had a hell of a time getting the kite in the air, and when it was up I would put the bar all the way to one side to turn and it would over fly outside of the wind window and fall out of the sky.

Any ideas why? My steering lines appear to have slack in them when the kite is in the air.

Thanks!
Kevin

Ok well lets just cover the basics and see whats happening. When the steering lines are slack how slack? I like to refer my lines to powerlines you know how on powerlines how they droop a little? This is ok. if there is more slack or the steering lines are really sloppy you have a problem cause no matter how much you pull on the bar it will only barely tell the kite what to do. I would definitely stretch out your lines and make sure they are even all of them.

This is gonna sound dumb but is it hooked up correctly? Ozone did idiot proof their kites with a series of knots or loops depending on where or which line you were hooking up. Study the bridle are your grey lines hooked to the bridle that leads up to the cascade of lines that lead to the leading edge? Are your blue and red hooked to the cascade of lines that lead to the trailing edge? Is the bridle twisted or knotted was the kite deformed in flight?

I will have to take a look at the lines and hook up this weekend when I take it out. It just seems like no matter how much I put the bar to one side (perpendicular to the ground) she doesn't like to turn

I'm sure I'm stating the obvious, but I have to ask only because you mention the bar being perpendicular to the ground. You are "punching" and pulling the bar to turn right? As in, the bar is staying mostly PARALLEL to the ground and you're pulling on one end of the bar while pushing the other end out. Like I said, I'm sorry to ask such an obvious question, but when you say perpendicular to the ground it makes me think you're spinning/turning the bar instead of push/pulling it.

I bet you anything one of two things

1.Lines don't match (unlikely but possible)
2.Lines are inverted (problably the problem)

If the lines are inverted meaning the fronts are on the trailing edge. What will happen is the kite will fly it launches like crap and usually requires more wind. As it launches you're controlling depower with the bar but steering is not there and the kite drifts to which ever side catches it first then it basically does whatever it wants til it hits the ground which if its higher winds you can risk blowing out the cells of the kite. flip em around problem fixed.

StrangeRanger wrote:I'm sure I'm stating the obvious, but I have to ask only because you mention the bar being perpendicular to the ground. You are "punching" and pulling the bar to turn right? As in, the bar is staying mostly PARALLEL to the ground and you're pulling on one end of the bar while pushing the other end out. Like I said, I'm sorry to ask such an obvious question, but when you say perpendicular to the ground it makes me think you're spinning/turning the bar instead of push/pulling it.

I know what you are referrring to and I am certain I am steering the kite correctly. When I say perpendicular, I am pushing and pulling to the point that the bar is perpendicular to the ground.

I am taking the kite out today and will check to make sure the lines are hooked up correctly.

Thanks,
Kevin

Yep, I agree with the others probably got the line setup mixed up or else there has been some serious line stretch.

Just FYI- linesetup for a depower is opposite of that of a fixed bridle on a bar. IE- for a depower, the rear flying lines go to the ends of the bar and the front lines go to the center. (Sorry if you already got it setup right).

Also, how is your trim set? On my Sabre, I had to set the trim about halfway to get good turning response in moderate to light winds. This took me a few sessions to learn, since I thought, it would be best to learn with the trim all the way pulled in for the least amount of power, but the kite didn't fly nearly as well, an turning it was nearly impossible, especially if the wind was light. The other thing that took some learning when I first learned to fly depower, was that you need to plan your turn a bit farther in advance than a smaller fixed bridle. Big depowers are slower to turn and have a different way of responding to your input.

Good luck- hope you get it sorted out!

I think my problem was.....nothing! Flew yesterday for a short while at an event on Oneida Lake and she turned perfect.

The problem before was the wind was too light and I wasn't in a decent spot (no clean wind).

Bill Meyers from Meyers Kite surfing took a look after I set it up and said it was good to go!

I will post pics of the event later. Thanks for all the help guys. This is the reason I keep coming back to this forum!

Kevin

Glad to hear that it's working for ya